Common Thread, Uncommon Education

As we approach the 125th anniversary of our founding with a vision to become a leading Catholic liberal arts college, we have begun a series of conversations around the country.

Alumni and friends in six cities have turned out for these events which are tied to our strategic plan, Aspirations in Liberal Arts Education, and we plan to visit at least three more cities this fall.(www.anselm.edu/aspirations)

For those who have taken part in the conversation or e-mailed your thoughts, thank you for focusing on important issues, asking the tough questions and, most of all, thank you for caring about our college’s future.

As the conversations continue, a common thread emerges: our graduates and friends believe in the kind and quality of a Saint Anselm education. In this issue of Portraits, you’ll meet three alumni, spanning more than four decades, who exemplify the results of that education in very different ways, yet who are connected by an experience that continues to inform their lives: the foundation of our core curriculum, Portraits of Human Greatness.

Monique Petrofsky ’83 points to that humanities program as critical to her career as a global health expert responding to worldwide epidemics. Tarek Saab ’00, a successful executive who vied for the “Apprentice” spot on primetime TV, relishes the opportunity to seek true greatness every day and has plans to take that message to the 20-something generation.

Perhaps the most unusual example is Dr. Bob Duhaime ’57, a retired dentist and town selectman. Recognizing the significance of the humanities program that began 20 years after he graduated, he returned to become the first of his generation to complete it.

As I meet with alumni and friends across the country, academic excellence continues to be the most popular topic. They want the college to continue to challenge students in the humanities and arts; and they want assurance that we will recruit the best faculty and students, and thrive in an increasingly competitive market.

By raising these issues, our alumni and friends demonstrate a profound commitment to the mission, academic reputation and the future of this great college. For me, and for all of us at the college, it is both inspiring and challenging to discuss these ideas, insights, concerns and critiques.

As we enter year two of our strategic plan, I can say with great confidence that Saint Anselm is secure in its mission and purpose. We know what we do best: provide a liberal arts education that informs the hearts and minds of undergraduates in our Catholic and Benedictine tradition. Graduates like Monique, Tarek and Bob are just three diverse examples of our mission’s success.

We will continue to seek greatness in everything we do. With your support we will continue to graduate men and women joined by this common thread and uncommon education.

Sincerely,

Rev. Jonathan DeFelice, O.S.B.
President